The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-12-01

love to her, which state of things con-
tinucd until the occurrence of the scene
described above.
General Marriott saw it all plainly
enough, but being fond of Jill, he was
we'll pleased at tho prospect of having
her for his future daughtcr-in-law.
1t was Jill, only Jill, who saw any hazard
in the engagement, although it seemed
to her that her whole happiness depend
ed upon it. 1t was for that very reason
she wished to win, not the rash, i'm
pctuous, boyish love Jack could give
her at present, but the love Of his future
manhood, of his life. She was so well
aware of all the advantageshc possessed;
his social position which would intro
duco him into the best society; his
physical beauty, his winning grace, his
ready wit, which would insure him
friends and admirers whcrcsoevcr he
might be; was it likely that he would
always remain true to tho everyday
English girl with no especial giftsa Yes,
it was likely, Jill thought because
she knew something of his character,
but 1T was not certain, for he was un-
tried. Let HIM be tried, and then if he
proved faithful, he should be rewarded
by love as deep as the fathomlcss sea,
as strong as the elements themselves,
and faithful unto death. Little did
Jack know as he left the rectory gates,
that such gift was his already, whether
he ever came back worthy to claim it or
not.
And so two years passed away while
Jack was in India. They did not write
to each other except ON birthdays and
special occasions, because Jill had for
hidden correspondence as likely to make
him feel less free. From General Mar
riott, she heard of him every other
week, and he seemed to be we'll and
popular and happy.
Of young curatc, who came to the
parish, and after doing his utmost to
win Jill's love, left the place in anger
and despair, it is needless to write here:
his pride was, after all, more wounded
by the utter coldness of her manner than
his heart smitten by it.
At the end of two years the old gen.
eral, who had been long while a
widower, died, and jill learned no more
now of Jacks welfare, for the hall was
entirely closed. At that time, too, the
second Afghan war broke out, and his
regiment was sent to the front.
Those were anxious days for her,
when she daily waited at the rcctory
gate to meet the old postman who
brought the morning paper and with
trembling hands would open it to see if
any battle had been fought and what
names among the killed or wounded or
sick.
At last one evening her brother came
back from ncighboring town with the
news of the defeat of Malwand; he knew
no particulars, and Jill had to wait till
the next day in sickening anxiety. She
spent the night sccplcssly, but not tear
fully, for, if her darling died soldiers
death, why she, soldiers sweetheart,
must be brave, too-if only she could be
sure she was his sweetheart still Surely
the war was special occasion which
would have warranted his writing to
her. Yet never line from him had
come.
The next morning, when the postman
put the paper in her hand, she leaned
against an old chestnut tree in the gar
den and opened it and read-frst, the
names Of those killed in battle. Thank
God, thank God, he was not among
them! Then, the seriously wounded.
All! there it was, one of the very first
Lieutenant John Marriott, of the Royal
Engineers! He was suffering agonies in
camp hospital-perhaps dying, or per-
haps dead! OH why had she not gone
out at the beginning of the war, with
other ladies as nurse2 Then she
might have been with him now, to win
him back to life again with her care and
tenderness, or to comfort him until the
end.
Wish was vain as it was earnest! for
she was in her far away English home
and must hurry into the schoolroom to
superintend the lessons of her young sis
ter, and into the garden to see about
having the Autumn fruits picked for
jam-making; and to dozen other small
duties, which make up the sum total Of
q woman's daily life.
Two days afterward there came great
comfort for her in an Indian letter from
Jack, written some weeks before the
Maiwand disaster, and brimful of good
spirits and hope, and these words were
at the end of it:
, eff get through this campaign al
right and come home again safe ant
sound, will my time of probation be owe
then Tell me, my darling, for indce
indeed, l am getting weary of itI'
t Aye, the time of probation was over
| but would he ever know it9
After that, Jill heard nothing of hin
for over six months, and, although sh
had not seen any mention of his dealt
f in the papers, hope, growing less ant
e less, had almost left her. In spite o
k her good courage, it was with whit
S face and weary step that she wen
c about her duties; she, who was wont t
o be so cheerful in the days gone by, tina
/, she had been called by the family, ''Sun
d shine"